Hello my name is Christina. I always have been obese since childhood. In my school I was not only bigger than my classmates, but I weighed more than many of my teachers. I tried many diets over the years, weightwatchers, Jenny craig, and Atkins to name a few.  5 years ago, I decided to end my weight problem once and for all by having gastric sleeve sugery. I lost almost 100 pounds but I gained nearly half back within two years. I was dissapointed and ashamed.  I tried more low carb high protien diets, but I ended up binging and getting fatter and sicker.  I realized that surgery had made only my stomach smaller, I didn't change my mindset or cure me of my addiction of processed food.  

 My plantbased journey began when I was introduced to Dr.Garth Davis's  book, Proteinaholic.  After reading the book, I discovered why I regained so much weight and why weightloss surgery isn't the solution to America's obesity crisis.  I found Dr.Carney's group through facebook after seeing Chef Aj's video about juicing and blending. I discovered the reasons why I wasn't loosing weight, and why dieting failed me in the past. I keep reading blog after blog, topic after topic. I discovered so for information that the doctors didn't tell me. I learned that I had an addiction to refined foods,  and that whole foods not only help you loose weight, but are the key to health and vitality. I started the starch smart system several days ago, and so far I feel a lot better. I'm so glad that I don't have to measure, weigh, or track my food anymore. I no longer have to count calories or carbs, and I eat until I'm full and satisfied. Thank you so much Dr. Carney for your information you  have provided. I hopefully I can help others how have gotten bariatric surgery or considering it. 

Wow. Great introduction. We are so happy to have you here. You can be a tremendous help to others.

I was a long time vegetarian (25 years) but was unhealthy, overweight and had high blood pressure.  After watching Forks Over Knives, I found out more about whole food plant based diets and discovered Dr. McDougall, Engine 2 Diet, Dr Fuhrman, etc. I've been on a whole food plant based, no oil, limited salt, limited refined sugar for 5 years now.  I'm at a healthy weight, no longer on high blood pressure medication and basically feeling pretty great.  I'm always looking to expand my community, as that is something that I struggle with. I am a big fan of Dr Greger and love his latest book How Not To Die.

Marky,

Thank you for introducing yourself. And thank you for joining our community. I am hoping you will find this group helpful but also hope that you participate here by helping others.  :-)

Welcome.  Welcome.  Welcome.  

Sean

Hi all, jusst joined the forum. and thought I would write a note to introduce myself.  My name is Al Viviani and I live just outside Las Vegas NV.  My wife and I started eating a healthy diet in 1990 after I read the book Fit for Life.  We joined the Natural Hygiene Society and did very well following that food plan.  We went to confrences which included meeting Dr Alan Goldhamer, Dr.Doug Graham, and Dr Joel Fuhrman among others who were the main proponents of the NHS at the time.  It was a mostly raw diet.  We did well on that diet staying trim and healthy for a few years.  Then the NHS broke up and the Drs. went their separate ways each creating their own versions of a healthy lifestyle.  Dr Graham has stayed the closest to Natural Hygiene.  

By 1997 we had lost our way as far as eating well.  This was partially brought on by moving to Las Vegas where we had unlimited access to free food and buffets.  We never ate at home since all our food in the casinos was free. my weight at that itme topped out at 315 pounds (I am 6' tall).  Just as a note I have been overweight my entire life, although by todays standards, as a child, I would have been pretty normal.

About 9 months after our move to Vegas I looked in the mirror and thought to myself I know better than this, and that morning announced to my wife that I was going to start a McDougall diet.  I had read some of his books, and liked the sound of a starch based diet.  We attended many advance study weekends in Santa Rosa and also did the McDougall 10 day.  We also did 2 stays with Dr Goldhamer at True North. I am now the healthiest I've ever been, cycle almost every day ablut 15 miles and weigh 175 pounds.  Dr Carney's diet reccomendations are wonderful,and they will get you healthy!  Since I've studied and lived this lifestyle for many years I am happy to help anyone with problems following this lifestyle, as I have faced most of them over the years.

Please rediect me, if I'm writing an introduction in the wrong place.

I have come to whole-food, plant-based nutrition much later than I wish.
Thirty years ago, for ethical and compassionate reasons, I gave up eating meat, and believed that my new vegetarian diet was both wholesome and cruelty-free. Much more recently, I had my eyes opened to the truth about the dairy and egg industries, which led me, again for compassionate reasons, to a vegan diet. Through browsing, reading, and watching endless videos, I came to learn of the huge benefits to human health that this way of eating can bring. I just need to transition from a junk-food vegan to a fully-fledged wholefood-eating vegan!

Over the last twenty years, I have gained a huge amount of excess weight, had several health scares, my gallbladder removed, been put on medication to control dangerously high blood pressure, and could see myself increasingly unable to enjoy the active lifestyle I once took for granted.

I have seen the error of my ways. I am already making big changes. I have lost twenty pounds since the beginning of April, feel much more energetic and clear-headed, and would dearly love to reduce or come off my anti-hypertensives.

But perhaps my biggest desire is to convince my sons to eat this way. They have many more years ahead of them to reap the benefits, and I hate to see them jeopardising their health. 

Sorry - I meant this to be short!
I look forward to finding my way around her a bit more, and to meeting other members.

Angela, 

Thanks for sharing your story. I believe as you make progress all the people that love you will respond positively. I am not sure if you have checked out Dr. Carney's Starch-Smart system but think you might want to look and consider adopting either the Starch-Snmarter or the Starch-Smartest level for awhile: https://www.drcarney.com/starch-smart-system

You posted this just where we were wanting it and you also posted a great message. Don't ever worry about needing to be short here. :-)

Sean

Hello all! I'm so excited to be here!  I can't wait to peruse the halls and get to know you all.  But let me start by introducing myself.  I am a 48 yr old single woman with an adult son and one grandson who is my best buddy!  But like so many other's, I fear my story isn't a unique one.  I was obese, I had back pains, headaches, high blood pressure, drastic mood swings, high colesterol, stomach pain, chest palpitations when eating certain foods.. the list goes on.  So, when my annual Dr. visit came up in April of this year (2018) I asked her about going vegetarian (as she had asked me in the past) and we talked for a spell.  she gave me a list of links, movies, books etc to look into.  but what wasn't on the list is where I started, Forks over Knives.  That weekend I spent the entire weekend watching other documentaries like What the Health, Food Inc (a second time), and more.  I then started watching some cooking videos on youtube and totally cleaned out my pantry and fridge and embarked on a whole-food plant based no salt, sugar, oil, flour or dairy lifestyle.  Since then, only two months down, I not only lost about 12 lbs but I've seen drastic changes in my health.  the back pains are all but gone, the mood swings are not so drastic, I no longer have chest palpitations.  But the most amazing thing are my blood work results.  Colesterol down from 259 on 11/29/2017 to 142 on 6/16/18!  Yes, that is 117 lower! Triglyceride from 113 to 65! HDL from 64 to 48! LDL 172 to 81! chol/hdl from 4.0 to 3.0.    Unfortunately my blood pressure was still averaging over 150/90 at the DR so she insisted I help it some for now, that we can get rid of the meds in the future, I was reluctant but have started back on the meds.  And we are concerned as my iron went from 19 to 9.. we are testing to see what's going on there and I"ve incorporated Iron (Ferrous gluconate) and a vitamin B12 to help.

I think the most amazing thing on my journey, is not only how good I feel, but that I was doing circles around my 28 year old son!  He has since started a vegan program, though a bit different as he has Chrohn's disease.  But just two days off the dairy and he felt better! 

As I live alone I'm doing this alone, so I thought to reach out to a community to talk with and encourage, get ideas and perhaps make some friends that I would have in common with my new lifestyle.  I look forward to getting to know you all! 

Blessings,

Lori

Wow Lori, You have come to the right place. We could use your encouragement as much as I assume you could use ours. :-)  Let me know if you might be interested in blogging about your journey. I can turn on blogging permissions and then teach you how to do the blogging. It is not a difficult system. 

There is a weight loss support group we just created in the Club menu under groups. There are plenty of discussions as you just found out. And, we welcome your input on blogs and you can click on the People link of the club navigation bar to see who all is on the site. 

Welcome, Welcome, Welcome!!!

Sean

Welcome Lori, thanks for sharing your journey so far!  I hope you find this site as welcoming, informative and generally wonderful as I do.

Hi Sean and thank you!  I have thought about it and yes, I'd be interested in blogging my walk of transformation from sick and dying to healthy living!  Let me know what I need to do to get started!

I need a time to train you and I will give you access to a Google doc with pictures and instructions. Do you have a time today that would work for training. Possibly this afternoon. I will try to add you to the Google doc later this morning. 

Also, you may want to add a personal picture and a cover picture to your profile since it will display above all your blogs. You can do that by going to the profile pageonce you are logged in: https://www.drcarney.com/community/profile 

I am eager to read your story. 

Sean

Hi Marky.  thank you for the welcome and I look forward to reading more about you and your journey.  Congrats on the healthy weight and blood pressure! while I do not have the how not to die book I do have it's companion cookbook :).  

I was a long time vegetarian (25 years) but was unhealthy, overweight and had high blood pressure.  After watching Forks Over Knives, I found out more about whole food plant based diets and discovered Dr. McDougall, Engine 2 Diet, Dr Fuhrman, etc. I've been on a whole food plant based, no oil, limited salt, limited refined sugar for 5 years now.  I'm at a healthy weight, no longer on high blood pressure medication and basically feeling pretty great.  I'm always looking to expand my community, as that is something that I struggle with. I am a big fan of Dr Greger and love his latest book How Not To Die.

Welcome Lori, thanks for sharing your journey so far!  I hope you find this site as welcoming, informative and generally wonderful as I do.

Hello everyone,

I'm Christine. My journey into the plant-based world started with a career in ornamental horticulture where I contracted Lyme disease that went undiagnosed and untreated for 5 1/2 years. After being on I.V. antibiotics for over 2 years, although I was over the Lyme, I now had fibromyalgia, candidiasis, and food sensitivities. Eventually, I went to a doctor of Chinese Medicine. He changed my diet (not plant-based), but I noticed tremendous improvement in how I felt. So I got curious about the connection between what I ate and how I felt.

I started reading and researching and learned that a plant-based diet was the best diet for my health, the planet, and the animals. Eventually I went back to shcool to become a health coach and then later certifed in Plant-Based nutrition.

I now help others increase plant foods in their diets through my business where I offer diet coaching, cooking classes, personal chef services and workshops and lectures.

So many clients that contact me have diabetes and heart disease and I know that a whole food, plant-based diet without oils is the key. I started to educate myself on cooking without oils, and avoid them at home as much as possible now, but I've got so much to learn.

I figured this would be a great place for me to ask questions and learn more.

Thanks for having me!